The U.S. national team’s January camp, which coach Jurgen Klinsmann stressed was about “preparation” for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers and not just preseason exercise, concluded Tuesday night with a miserably anticlimactic 0-0 tie against a young Canadian side in Houston.

Despite spending three weeks together in Southern California, an American squad comprised of MLS hopefuls and a few foreign-based players on the margins of the qualifying picture failed to establish much chemistry. It certainly failed to excite the crowd of 11,737 who showed up for the first U.S. men’s national team game at BBVA Compass Stadium.

The U.S. tied Canada, 0-0, in a warmup for the World Cup qualifier. The Americans played sluggishly but maintained their unbeaten streak. (AP Photo)

The U.S. looked static and sluggish, movement off the ball was minimal and the sort of individual flair that might have troubled the conservative Canadians was absent. Despite dominating possession, the U.S. didn’t give goalkeeper Simon Thomas, a 22-year-old free agent, much to worry about. In fact, the most dangerous player on the field likely was Canadian captain Dwayne De Rosario, the 34-year-old D.C. United forward playing for just the third time since September knee surgery.

The draw extended the U.S.’s unbeaten run over Canada to 16 games (8-0-8) dating back to 1985, but there aren’t many men who played at BBVA Compass Stadium who will be comfortable boasting about their role in lengthening the streak.

Chicago Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson, in his first senior international start, was up to the task when challenged by De Rosario. U.S. central defenders Omar Gonzalez and Matt Besler, along with captain Kyle Beckerman (who anchored the midfield), were solid on the ball and rarely out of position. But they faced almost no pressure from a Canadian team that was content to sit back and dare the U.S to break it down.

That breakthrough never came.

Klinsmann began the match with a pragmatic first 11, deploying MLS marksman Chris Wondolowski and Eddie Johnson up top with Seattle Sounders utility man Brad Evans in support. Graham Zusi and hometown favorite Brad Davis, the Houston Dynamo playmaker, would be relied upon to provide service from the flanks.

Tuesday’s game represented a massive opportunity for Wondolowski and Davis, two veterans who might be running out of time to establish themselves as regular internationals.

Both worked hard, but neither impressed. Wondolowski, the reigning MLS MVP, won several balls in the penalty area and crafted a couple of shots on goal, but he still couldn’t end his international drought. Davis was uneven on his set-piece delivery and lacked much movement around him with which to work.

De Rosario had the best chance of the first half, but Johnson parried his 10-yard blast in the sixth minute.

“Obviously we dominated the whole game,” Klinsmann told ESPN at halftime. “Canada just sits back and just waits for a counter break. Until you kind of unlock it and score a goal, it’s difficult to open up the game. ... We told the guys to speed it up, play more urgent and break that slow approach from Canada.”

Klinsmann introduced two talents the game appeared to need at halftime -- winger Josh Gatt and playmaker Benny Feilhaber. Gatt possesses the speed and one-on-one dribbling that can unlock a compact defense, while Feilhaber has the vision to hit the killer pass.

Both showed flashes of promise, and Feilhaber’s 53rd-minute through ball to Johnson eventually led to a Davis shot from close range. But Canada would continue to bend without breaking. The visitors had yielded a combined 12 goals in their past two games, including Saturday’s 4-0 exhibition loss to Denmark. But the U.S. had no answers Tuesday in Houston.

Next Monday, Klinsmann is expected to name the squad that will travel to Honduras for the Feb. 6 World Cup qualifier. It will be comprised mostly of European-based players, with several from the recently-concluded camp expected to fill it out.

It’s unlikely that anyone who played against Canada cost himself a seat on the plane with his performance, but it was difficult to identify anyone closer to the bottom of the depth chart who seized the priceless opportunity available.